Groups and Courses

What is it?

For people who are experiencing mood disorders a feeling of sadness, low mood and depression can have a significant impact on their lives and their ability to function. Common symptoms include a lack of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, a lack of motivation to do daily activities and withdrawing from interacting with friends and family. They may notice a decrease in energy, lethargy and difficulty sleeping.

What does this programme involve?

The courses are structured courses based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Each course offers 6 sessions, each session is for one hour and thirty minutes each week. They are educational courses and are structured around evidence based interventions, each session has opportunity for discussion and we encourage you to take part in these discussions. The courses involved homework practice and you will be expected to put this into practice in-between sessions, this is an important part of treatment. Our courses are fully confidential.

How will this help me?

During this course you will:

• Learn the common cycles that maintain your problem

• Learn and put into practice strategies to manage your symptoms including managing your thoughts and changing unhelpful behaviours

• You will learn how to take back control of managing your low mood as well as your general well-being

Who runs the sessions?

The course will be facilitated by two Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners who are fully trained in delivering guided self-help treatment based on CBT techniques.

What is it?

For people who are suffering from an anxiety disorder the feelings of panic, worry and stress can have a significant impact on their lives and can be difficult to manage. Common symptoms include physical symptoms of such as heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, breathless and an inability to relax. They may also have difficulties sleeping and concentrating and experience irritability or low mood.

What does this programme involve?

The courses are structured courses based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Each course offers 6 sessions; each session is for one hour and thirty minutes each week. They are educational courses and are structured around evidence based interventions, each session has opportunity for discussion and we encourage you to take part in these discussions. The courses involved homework practice and you will be expected to put this into practice in-between sessions, this is an important part of treatment. Our courses are fully confidential.

How will this help me?

During this course you will:

• Learn the common cycles that maintain your stress and anxiety.
• Learn and put into practice strategies to manage your symptoms including managing your thoughts and changing unhelpful behaviours.
• You will learn how to take back control of managing your stress and anxiety as well as your general well-being.

Who runs the sessions?

The course will be facilitated by two Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners who are fully trained in delivering guided self-help treatment based on CBT techniques.

Please note: There are 6 sessions within each course, ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled.

What is it?

The Calming Anxiety and Boosting Mood (CABM) course is an educational course run by within a group setting.  The course will help you to learn skills and techniques to help understand and overcome low mood, anxiety and panic.

What does the programme involve?

The course consists of six weekly sessions lasting two hours. The sessions do involve some group discussions, however, it is up to you how much or little you wish to share. You will be expected to practice your learning between sessions as part of the CBT approach in order to get the full benefit of the course.

How will this help me?

The course will help you to improve your understanding of low mood and/or anxiety and learn skills and techniques to help manage these. 

Who runs the sessions?

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) will work alongside you to use a proven approach called ‘Guided Self-Help’.

Please note: There are 6 sessions within each course, ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled.

What is it? 

• Acceptance of unwanted thoughts, emotions, physical sensations 

• Commitment to embark on new behaviours

The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group is a powerful psychotherapy based on cutting-edge research into how the human mind works. It has been clinically proven to be successful in a wide range of psychological problems. The unusual name of this therapy comes from one of its key themes: Learn how to accept those things that are out of your control and commit to changing those things that can be changed to make your life better. 

What does the programme involve?

The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group runs for 10 weeks, two hour sessions per week. It is a very active therapy, in which you will learn new skills to improve your quality of life. 

We have two basic aims in this therapy which are:

• To help you create a rich, full and meaningful life.
• To teach you a set of skills that will allow you to handle painful thoughts and feelings far more effectively, in such a way that they have much less impact and influence over you. We call these skills ‘mindfulness skill’.

How will this help me? 

ACT may be helpful to you if you are ready to:

• learn skills in managing difficult thoughts and feelings
• address ‘stuck cycles’ of anxiety and depression behaviour 
• set behavioural goals in line with how you want life to be
• take a fresh look at who or what is important in your life

 Who runs the sessions?

A Cognitive Behavioural Therapist will work alongside you. For more information about Cognitive Behavioural Therapists click here.

Please note: There are 10 sessions within each course, ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled.

What is it? 

Mindfulness for depression is a group programme that combines meditation and cognitive behaviour therapy in order to help people manage problems with recurrent depression and stress.

Mindfulness for depression will help you if you:

• have experienced two or more episodes of low mood/ depression in the past. 
• are motivated and able to commit to attending the group for two hours a week.
• are willing to undertaking 30 to 40 minutes of daily mindfulness practice.

What does the programme involve?

Mindfulness for depression is an eight week group treatment, each session lasting two hours and they are delivered weekly. Mindfulness requires some degree of concentration and an ability to sit with unpleasant or distressing experiences without using unhelpful coping strategies such as drinking or self-harming. A realistic intention to undertake daily mindfulness practice is necessary to join the group.

How will this help me? 

Mindfulness for depression attempts to provide the necessary tools to combat depressive symptoms as they arise. When these skills have been learned, then you may be able to revert to these methods in times of distress or when faced with potentially overwhelming situations. 

Who runs the sessions?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapists will help you to understand and recognise unhelpful thoughts and behaviours which negatively impact on your mood and emotions. 

Please note: There are 9 sessions within each course, ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled. 

What is it? 

Do you:

• Worry a lot about different things in daily life?
• Believe worry helps you plan or do things better, or it is a sign you care?
• Have a lot of different ‘What if thoughts …?’ about the future?
• Believe you were born a ‘worrier’?
• Experience muscle tension – especially in your neck and shoulders?
• Have trouble sleeping?
• Feel restless, on edge, irritable, tired or exhausted easily?

 It may be that you are experiencing Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) or excessive worry. The recommended psychological treatment for GAD is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT in a group setting is beneficial because you will have the chance to meet other people with similar difficulties whilst learning how to better deal with the experiences listed above.

What does the programme involve?

The overcoming worry group involves CBT in a group setting. There are nine sessions, each session last two hours every week. You are required to engage with the group and share your experiences in order to gain the full benefit of the treatment. Everything discussed in the group is treated with strict confidentiality, this is agreed as a group and you would be expected to adhere to this agreement. There is an expectation that you will implement and practice the coping strategies between group session.

How will this help me? 

The Overcoming Worry group will help you to:

• Improve your understanding of anxiety and worry.
• Learn new skills and techniques to manage your worry.
• Recognise what is a current worry and what is a hypothetical worry.
• Set goals in line with how you want life to be.
• Make changes to feel better.

Who runs the sessions?

A Cognitive Behavioural Therapist will work alongside you to use a proven approach called ‘Guided Self-Help’. 

Please note: There are 9 sessions within each course, ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled. 

What is it? 

The Improving Self-Esteem Counselling group consists of 9 sessions. Each session lasts for two hours. This group will help you to identify the ways in which low self-esteem might contribute to your depression and help you to make changes to improve your self-esteem and confidence.

Who might benefit from the Improving Self-Esteem Group:

• Patients presenting with  mild to moderate depression or low mood
• Those who are self-critical and identify with having low self-esteem and would like to understand more about the origins of that
• Those who express an interest in learning more about their low self- esteem and are motivated to make changes in their life and the way they think about themselves;
• Patients who are open to discussion in a group setting and who can both contribute and listen.

A “Group Contract” will be discussed during the first session

The group is not suitable for you if you:

• Use drugs, alcohol or self-harm to cope
• Have a history of trauma likely to be triggered during group exercises
• Are highly socially anxious
• Believe your difficulties are due to external factors alone
• Have a specific problem, like OCD, health anxiety, bipolar
• Have a large degree of instability in your life

Who runs the sessions and what can I expect?

The group is run by two Counsellors from Healthy Minds.  They are trained to work with the group and listen and encourage you to begin to understand the difficult thoughts, emotions and impact of low self-esteem.

Each week there will be a presentation on different topics that impacts on self-esteem. There will then be time for the group to discuss and explore the presentation further and reflect on the impact that it has on them individually based on their own life experiences.

It can be daunting at first to join a therapeutic group but we would like to encourage and welcome you. Sharing your experience with others in a safe and professional led environment can be beneficial. A group can be a unique place where you can feel supported and understood whilst reflecting on yourself and your situation

Please note: There are 9 sessions within each course, All participants are asked to attend all sessions whenever possible.  ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled.